


Osmosis Part Three: A New Science

by Zanya



Series: Osmosis [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Humor, Mild Language, Pre-Relationship, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanya/pseuds/Zanya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his visit to Xing, Ed remembers a conversation he had with Greed about chi and Mustang so Ling gives him a book that’s supposed to help him with that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Main story will be EdRoy</p>
            </blockquote>





	Osmosis Part Three: A New Science

The room where they had relocated to looked like something out of a story book and by far one of the biggest rooms Ed had ever been in. If he had to guess, it could probably easily fit about fifty people inside of it. Gold-colored lounging pillows and soft linens lined part of the floor into a circle. The carpets were purple with gold lining, and the walls were a simple cream color, which offset the rest of the mix of gold and purple throughout the room. Ed could only guess Ling normally used this room to receive guests and probably have talks with Officials. 

Small tables sat on each side of the pillows, low enough to the ground that if food or drink were set on them; Ed would only have to reach over and take what he wanted. He briefly wondered if Mustang’s group had ever been here before shrugging it off. From what he heard, Roy had successfully implemented trade agreements with Xing about a year ago and now the old railroad that crossed the dessert had both workers from Xing and Amestris fixing it. It would be finished by years end from what Al had told him. 

Ling wore a simple long red robe with yellow lining that covered his black and purple clothing underneath. Ed supposed that was the traditional garb for royalty in Xing since he had seen many of the servants wearing similar colors and all of them tidied up and in order. When Ed first arrived with Al, he had felt underdressed but quickly got over it since he wasn’t royalty. Nor did he and Al have a lot of money to waste on buying fancy clothes. Neither of them had a regular income since he was no longer a State Alchemist. 

They did however wear their best clothes, which for Ed consisted of a brown suit coat and slacks with a white button up shirt underneath. He had pulled his hair back in a ponytail because Al had told him he looked older with it instead of the braid. Currently his suit coat lay in a heap next to the pillow he lounged on and his dress shoes were somewhat neatly nearby… somewhere. Ed only remembered taking them off before flopping down into what he was sure felt like lying on a cloud. 

Ling sat to Ed’s left, his legs tucked neatly under his body. “So, how do you like Xing so far?”

“It’s really…” Ed squinted his eyes and scratched behind his ear. “big?”

“And that’s all you have to say about it?” Ling cracked his eyes open a little more to direct a half-hearted glare at Ed. “Out of all the words you could use, big is the best you can do?”

“Whadda ya expect.” Ed yawned, stretched, closed his eyes, and leaned back on the soft pillows. He probably could have added cozy after big because the pillows Ling had were the softest things he had ever had the pleasure of lying on. “Sheesh. I haven’t slept in over twenty four hours. Not much is processing right now. Don’t be a big baby about it. I’m sure your country as fantastic as these pillows.”

“You could have gone straight to your room instead of coming here.” Ling cracked a smile and his eyes turned into slits once more. “There’s no shame in sleeping.” 

Ed opened one eye and peered over at Ling. “No, I couldn’t have. Al would have had a fit if I tried. I don’t know how he does it, honestly. Keeps up with all the proper codes of conduct like it’s nothing.”

“Your brother is a true gentleman that’s why. And if you’re so tired, go to sleep now. I don’t care.” Ling sunk further into the pillow and sighed. “It’s not like you’re superb company right now anyway.”

“Don’t be an asshole.” Ed grunted and laid his head back again. He could hear soft music playing from another room and the muffled voices of servants and wondered if they were preparing them something to eat. 

His stomach grumbled, making him aware of how hungry he was. Ed stretched his legs out over the pillow and pulled his right arm up underneath his head so that a part of his shirt came up, exposing his belly button. Al would disapprove of his over-relaxed behavior, but fortunately, Mei had immediately taken his brother on tour. At least that gave him the chance to settle in and talk to Ling before there were too many people and he had to somewhat behave. 

“Dammit, I can’t sleep on this thing. It’s too soft.” Ed groaned and rolled over onto his side and for a moment took back his temporary glee of not having Al around. “Isn’t there a way to make it firmer?” 

“You’re the first person I’ve met that complained about sleeping on something too soft.” Ling stomach growled also so he unconsciously rubbed it. “When Al comes back, have him firm it up for you. He can still do alchemy, right?”

“Sorry, not used to it.” Ed ran his hand down his face, tracking white lines down it with his fingers. “Yeah, Al could fix it for me if he were here. If I have to wait until Mei’s done with him, I might as well go to my room.” 

“You’ll get used it if you stay long enough.” Ling moved forward, leaning his body on his elbow. 

“So, how’s that thing comin along?” Ed twirled his finger through the air in a circular movement. “You know, that _thing_ Al was goin on about. You picking out a wife or some shit. Yeah, that’s it.” Ed snapped his fingers together. “How’s that going for you?”

“Some shit?” Ling chuckled. “No really, don’t hold back on me, Ed. Tell me how you honestly feel.”

“Don’t worry. Not gonna treat you differently just because you’re emperor.” Ed mouth twisted up into a lop-sided grin. Who else is gonna keep you in line if everyone else is too busy trying to kiss up? 

“It’s going… alright, I guess.” Ling shrugged and looked away. “They want me to keep with tradition and take a wife from each clan, but every time I consider it, all I can think about is what it was like for my clan and all the others.” 

Ed sat up and glanced over at Ling. “So you’re really going to do it then? Change that tradition and have one wife?”

“I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do.” Ling picked at the lining of the pillow with his fingers. “The woman I would give tradition up for isn’t someone I can marry.”

“But you’re emperor. Can’t you marry whoever you want?” Ed leaned up, narrowed his eyes, and peered over at his friend. “I would have thought Lan Fan would have wanted to marry you.”

“It’s not that simple, Ed.” Ling glared back, trying to outstare Ed. “No matter how much she would want to or how much I want her to say yes, she’ll never step down as my valet. And I have to admit, there’s no one better.”

“Sounds like something Hawkeye once told me a long time ago,” Ed mused, remembering his conversation with Riza when she had talked to him about Ishval. 

“Hmm?” Ling’s eyebrows quirked upwards before a thoughtful look spread across his face. “Well, I can see how she would find herself in a similar position.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Ed yawned again and stretched his arms over his head. “Doesn’t seem fair, though.”

“You wouldn’t understand. No offense, but you’ve never been in the position to worry about something like that.” Ling held his hand up to stop any possible protests from Ed. “Let me finish. You can easily be with the woman you care about.”

“Damn, I can’t stop yawning.” Ed let out an exasperated sigh and flopped over. “Sleep, that’s all I want. One good night in a decent bed.”

“Don’t you ever go back and visit Winry?” Ling asked. “I’m sure you sleep in a bed there.”

“I probably should visit her, but I want to keep researching and get it done as quickly as possible.” Ed looked up at the ceiling and the many crystal light fixtures that hung down from it. “Maybe if I still had automail, I would. But, dunno. There’s no reason right now to go back other than to visit, and I feel that I’d get behind on our research if I did that. At least here, we can learn while we’re visiting.”

“If you’re not careful, someone else is going to come along and snatch her up,” Ling blithefully lectured. 

“Why does everyone insist that we’re going to get married?” Ed groused. It always made him a little defensive and crabby when his friends decided to poke around in his business. If he married Winry, it’d be in their own time and their own terms, no one else’s. 

“Well, you do love her, don’t you?” Ling asked even though by the tone of his voice it seemed more like a statement than a question. 

Ed thought about making the usual excuse but instead sighed. “Yeah, I do, but, there was never a good time to ask her about it, you know.”

“I don’t think there’s ever a ‘good time’ as you put it. Sometimes you have to make the time or else your chance will pass.” Ling carefully explained. Telling Ed what he should do often didn’t go well. 

Ed sighed. “I know that, and I was going to ask her, I really was, but instead I just got on the train and headed west.”

“That’s too bad. I hope it works out for you because your chi isn’t a bad match for hers.” Ling leaned back on the pillow—resting his hands behind his head—and closed his eyes. “Sure, you both argue and bicker a lot, but still, it’s a better match than what most people have.”

A spark went off in Ed’s head over Ling’s mention of chi, a memory of right before the Promised Day. Greed had said something about it only… only it wasn’t Winry that was brought up. Not after Greed had initially asked him about her. No, he had focused in on Mustang for most of that conversation and had said that Ling had told him about it. 

“I…” Ed looked down at the floor and frowned while trying to bring up an old memory. “Hold on. You mentioned something like this to me before or no, Greed did, but still he said that you told him my chi and Mustang’s were a perfect match for each other. Now you’re saying Winry’s is? What kind of weird game are you getting at?”

“What are you—” Ling paused then ‘ahh’d’ like something just came to him. “Well, that wasn’t exactly what I meant when I told Greed that. He certainly took my words out of context to mess with you that night. And it worked if I remember correctly.”

“So what did you mean by that?” Ed looked Ling up and down suspiciously. “If you weren’t talking about that kind of compatibility then what?”

Ling sighed deeply and rolled his eyes. “I only meant that your chi is a good match. That can mean anything, Ed from you both fight or work well together to more.”

“More, what do you mean by more?” Ed warily asked. Ling tended to talk in riddles, and he had no idea if his friend was insinuating anything or being as straightforward as possible. 

“Whatever more you’d want it to mean,” Ling calmly explained. “Chi isn’t as simple as saying this or that person would make a good couple. It can span to all things or anything you want to make of it. It really depends on the people involved and what they want. It’s the energy each of us carries inside and some people’s chi meshes well with another person. Other times not so much.”

“So I could take it as we’d make really good friends or comrades?” Ed curiously asked. 

“Yes, you could take it that way.” Ling folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head. 

Ed reached over and poked Ling’s shoulder with his finger. “You’re holding out on me, aren’t you? Greed was right about what he said, wasn’t he?” 

“If you marry Winry, you’ll have a very happy life with her. You both are very compatible in that way and obviously you have thought about it.” Ling casually replied. “And if you want children, that would be the way to go, but you could also have a happy life with the Major General in that way.”

“But, he’s a guy!” Ed’s mouth opened up and then closed again before gaping once more. “There’s no way I’d have a thing for Mustang!”

“We both know you’ve been curious before,” Ling smugly replied, amusement clear in his voice. “I don’t think him being a man is what’s holding you back. Not really anyway.” 

“If I don’t like men that way then I think that’s a really good reason for it to hold me back.” Ed turned his head away, and his face took on a flushed tone out of both frustration and embarrassment. “And what do you mean, I’ve been curious before?”

“I see no matter what I say, you’ll deny and argue about it.” Ling dramatically sighed like the conversation had taken a lot out him, only annoying Ed further. “So, please forgive me if I don’t feel inclined to keep telling you things you don’t want to hear.”

“Fine, whatever,” Ed grumpily replied, his hands clenched against each side of his body. “I won’t argue with you. Explain to me, though. How do you know I’ve been curious?”

Ling held up his index finger while he tried his best to put it into words that Ed would understand. “A person’s chi feels different, depending on whether someone is attracted to a man or a woman. If someone is only attracted to the opposite sex, it has a certain feel to it. Same if they’re attracted to either or the same sex.” 

“Even if I have been curious before, I doubt the Mustang would ever consider sleeping with another man,” Ed quickly countered, unwilling to give into Ling’s reasoning so easily. “He has quite a reputation for dating a lot of women in a short period of time.”

Ling threw his head back and laughed. “Ed, you of all people should know not to simply believe in rumors. While the Major General does date, a lot of those women are informants that he uses as a cover to gather information.”

Ed let out a frustrated grunt. They were getting nowhere with this conversation. Why couldn’t Ling understand what he was saying? “Even still, that doesn’t mean he’d ever want to be with another man.” 

“That is true,” Ling cheerfully replied. “But I will say I am certain he’s at the very least been curious about it as well. You two have more in common than you realize.”

“So you can tell he’s at least thought about it?” Ed felt even more confused now. He never would have suspected Mustang to show any interest in men. “I don’t understand how you can tell that by a person’s chi.”

“It’s really hard to explain to someone who doesn’t know how to read chi. But yes, I’ve caught that from the Major General a couple times. I’m curious to see how both your chi would be if you were both in the same room together now that you’re an adult and some time has passed.”

“What do you mean ‘some time has passed?’ Why would that matter?” Ed couldn’t see how things had changed that much. Sure it had been a few years, but he hadn’t changed _that_ much. 

“When is the last time you two saw each other?” Ling inquired. “It wasn’t too long after the Promised Day was it? The last time the Major General saw you, he probably still considered you a child.”

“Al and I did see him right before we came to Xing a couple years ago, but I get what you mean. He wouldn’t have seen me as someone he would like to date.” Ed scowled. He knew the age difference would definitely be an issue for Roy. In fact, he didn’t see how any of it wouldn’t be a problem for the Major General. “There’s still a large age difference so I doubt even now, he would consider it. Knowing Mustang, he’d choose something like this to be self-righteous about.” 

“Well, I can’t say I blame him. You’re only twenty two-years-old and he’s what, thirty six, but at some point, the age difference won’t matter so much.” Ling sat up and looked Ed directly in the eyes. “You seem to be handling this well. Are you considering the Major General as a potential person of interest?” 

“What? Oh hell no!” Ed fell back onto the pillow, his arms and legs flailed through the air for a few seconds before falling back down. “It’s not that at all. I told you I wouldn’t argue with you anymore, and I do find the whole chi thing interesting. I’m only making scientific theories in my head.”

“Sure you are.” But Ling smiled at Ed in that way of his that implied he was only humoring his friend. “Still, if you want to know more about chi, I could loan you a book if you’re interested.” 

Ling reached around to a small dresser behind him and pulled out a plain brown leather book. It looked old and the title had been worn off the cover like it had been read many times. “Here, this will help you out.” He moved off his pillow and sat down next to Ed, holding the book out. “Read it while you’re here so that if you have any questions, you can ask me.” 

“I can’t read Xingese.” Ed turned the book over and looked at it from front to back in an attempt to get an idea of what it was about. “Can’t see how it’ll help me out if I can’t read it.”

“Even though it looks old, it’s only been in print for about fifteen years, and it’s written in Amestrian.” Ling explained, putting his hand on Ed’s shoulder. 

“Why is it written in a different language?” Ed ran his fingers down the front of the book, feeling the grooves between the leather. 

“We’ve been translating books in different languages for a long time in Xing,” Ling simply answered. 

“What’s it about?” Ed leaned in and took a deep whiff of the cover. He loved the smell of leather and the way it felt against his skin, especially on older books. 

Ling’s face split into a wide grin. “It’s all you need to know about chi and the Major General of course.”

“Okay, I’ll check it out later.” Judging by the shit-eating grin on Ling’s face, Ed suddenly had a feeling that some very important information about this book was being kept from him. Still he set it down next to his coat and shrugged. His stomach growled again, turning his attention on how it had been awhile since he last ate. Ed poked Ling and yawned. “Damn, I’m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”

~*~

Ed woke up the next morning in his own room. Ling must have had someone bring him here. He didn’t even remember passing out, but at some point he had. After their talk about chi, servants had brought in food and wine. Ed didn’t remember much after that. He had been too exhausted from traveling almost nonstop across the desert. 

Blearily looking around the room, the first thing he noticed was the deep red blankets and pillows on the bed. The room Ling had given him almost seemed like too much. The silk sheets on the bed were comfortable and the heavy blankets warm, but when his eyes traveled around the rest of the room, Ed felt out of place. 

There were two antique dressers, an armoire, and a closet big enough for him to walk into. All of it had been stained with a dark mahogany finish. There was even a small matching table next to the bed and a porcelain washing tub and sink in the opposite corner of the room. He could live in this room easily, especially when there were servants to bring him anything he wanted. Though, Ed couldn’t see asking. That would only make him feel dependant on Ling’s hospitality. 

His chest felt odd like it had something laying on it so he glanced down. The book that Ling had given him last night lay on his chest, closed. Ed yawned and pushed his hair back over his shoulders. There seemed to be no escaping it. Obviously, if he gave the book back, Ling would either make sure it found its way back into his room or stare at him half the night with a smug look of disapproval. Never mind that Ed probably wouldn’t be able to wheedle anymore information about chi from him. 

The conversation they had last night had been weird enough, but Ed hadn’t been lying when he told Ling that the whole thing with chi and compatibility among people interested him. Even though chi wasn’t considered science in Xing, he considered it to be a science in its own way. So of course he found it fascinating despite the fact that Ling insinuated that he was interested in Mustang. That entire part of it felt foreign to him still, but in the end his curiosity would win. It always did. And it wasn’t like he had to mention any of this to anyone else. 

They hadn’t even kept in contact or seen each other in a little over two years. He wouldn’t even know what to say to Mustang if he saw him except maybe give him a nod and a “what’s new?” The last time he and Al visited. Mustang had been on his way out of the office so he didn’t really have the opportunity to catch up. They had had a train to catch and little time to spare. 

And when they were around each other before Father had tried to take over the world, they both pushed each other’s buttons as much as possible. Sure he and Winry argued and fought, but then again… Ed couldn’t deny he didn’t enjoy his battle of wits with Roy either because he had. It had always driven him to do better and keep going if not for any other reason than to get around one of Mustang’s ridiculous orders or to watch him get irate over being teased. 

Ed sat up and picked up the book before it slid off his body. It couldn’t do any harm to at least read it and see what it offered him in the way of information. Maybe he’d be able to apply some if to his alchemic theories he had been working on for Al. If anything he read in this book helped out his brother then it would be well worth any odd questions he may need to ask Ling. 

Pushing the blankets aside, he scooted to the edge of the bed and flipped it open. Reading a little before breakfast felt like the perfect way to start the morning. But when he turned to the first page the word seduce immediately stood out to him. How to seduce the person you love. This couldn’t be right, could it? Ling had seemed sincere and yet why would he give Ed this kind of book. Sure it talked about chi but not in the way he had been expecting or wanted. Cold hard facts and theories were what he needed not some book on how to score his perfect match. 

Standing up, Ed readied himself to stomp over to Ling’s private chambers and throw the book at him. Or at least shake his fist. Lan Fan would probably have an issue if he did too much damage to the Emperor (even if it only extended to Ling’s ego by getting hit with old leather), and that had to include an old, worn book to the face. Ling would most likely allow the transgression to pass but not before Lan Fan kicked Ed’s ass for it. 

Then he stopped and looked down at it. Ed randomly opened it back up and flipped through to the middle. There in neat-typed Amestrian were instructions on how to make his person of interest fall for him using a very interesting sexual position. While Ed had many times thought about sex, he by no means had much experience with it. He could hardly count a couple mildly drunken encounters with a few women he had met during his travels. Nor could he count that one time out west when he let some guy he had met in a shitty backwater bar blow him. 

No one knew about that encounter, though. Not even Al. It was normal to experiment or at least he thought so, but somehow he knew all his friends would make a big deal about it. How Ling had caught on to Ed’s curiosity was beyond him? All the more reason to study and figure this theory on chi out. 

Scrutinizing the page once more, Ed tried to see if he could make a connection by skimming over the explanation. It mostly only told him things his own mind could come up with on his own. The picture above the text showed a naked woman and man, but words below did not specify a gender. The woman was on her knees with her hands planted in front of her. Her large, heavy breasts hung down and at first Ed imagined Winry in that position and then quickly crossed it out, knowing it’d be a cold day in hell before he could convince her into such a position. She’d probably wring his neck if he suggested anything remotely like it. 

Suddenly, an image of Mustang lying underneath him flashed through his mind. Or better yet, Roy kneeling down, naked, hands on the ground, his penis, heavy and jutting out from between his legs while those large hands shook, contained by self control only, yet seeking a way to touch him. The old saying about men with large hands and feet first came to mind, but then another thought struck him. The thought of _Roy_ looking up with _those_ dark eyes, clouded over with lust and pleasure, on his knees, wanting no one else.

“Gah!” Quickly shutting the book, Ed’s arms flew up in the air, and he dropped it to the floor like it had burned him. What kind of book had Ling given him?

How fitting considering whom he had been thinking about. Ed bent down and picked it back up, unable to leave it alone now. Smoothing out the pages that had bent from the fall, he closed it back up. Ed ran his fingers down the edges of the book and considered his options. He could take it back to Ling and give him a piece of his mind. That option seemed the most satisfying. Still he hesitated, unable to make his body move towards the door. 

Another option would be to read the book and find out why Ling had given it to him in the first place. If it turned out to be one of Ling’s sick jokes, he could still return to his first option, but if it turned out to be something he could use, well there was only one way to find out. 

Ed sat down on the edge of the bed, flipped back to the beginning, and began to read.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last oneshot that I'm posting before I start on the main story. I appreciate the patience. If I had put this all together into the main story, it would have jumped around quite a bit. Since there is quite a bit of time passing between each oneshot, I felt it would be less confusing to write these to precede the multi-chapter story so that important bits could be shown instead of only mentioned in passing. 
> 
> I absolutely love Ling and wish we could have seen more of his life once he returned home.


End file.
